MULTAN-The Qaumi Tajir Ittehad (QTI) South Punjab warned on Friday that any new property tax survey would be rejected and resisted by the traders. The members of the Ittehad staged a demonstration against a new property survey launched by the excise department at Vehari Chowk. Led by Sultan Mahmood Malik, president of the Ittehad, the protestors shouted slogans against the government and excise department. They also blocked the road and warned that a complete shutter down strike would be observed in South Punjab if the survey was not suspended.

Speaking on the occasion, Sultan Mahmood Malik and others said that the excise inspectors issued illegal challan forms to the traders and citizens which was highly condemnable. They added that the excise officials blackmailed traders to extort money. They maintained that the owners of the properties were sent forms with much higher tax rate which would eventually ruin the businesses.  They warned that the traders would not accept any new evaluation survey. They pointed out that the property tax rate in Multan was already much higher than many other cities as the city was in metropolitan category. They warned that the traders would encircle the excise office and stage a sit in outside it if the survey was not stopped forthwith.